On her own
by TruelyTrying
Summary: "I'm sorry" He said "I wish I could save you as well. But I must save my daughter." Jeb saved his daughter from the School but not the rest of the Flock. And when Jeb disappears, Max is on her own.
1. Prologue

The School, 4 years ago

The Whitecoats shoved Max into the cage roughly, too roughly for the little girl. She felt the pain but stayed strong, she did not whimper or cry.

She was strong.

Once the Whitecoats left she peaked through the bars on the too-small cage.

Five pairs of eyes peaked out of the neighboring cages.

"Nayagn?" She asked the others.

"Unish" Their voices answered.

"Qu nayagn?" They asked her.

"Unish" She said strongly.

The experiments spoke English. but they used their own primitive language when under watch. The Whitecoats still struggled to translate it. It seemed that the language was constantly changing and evolving.

The Whitecoats were able to translate this conversation though.

The girl had asked if the others were alive and they responded yes.

The others repeated this to her and she assured them she was fine.

The dark-haired boy looked over at the girl and only he saw the blood on her arm. Only he was allowed to understand that no she was not fine. He looked at her again and then stuck his fingers as far as they could go through the bars.

The girl did the same and the two were just able to touch.

The small gesture immediately calmed the girl. She looked over at him and the boy gave her the slightest smile.

And for a second she forgot. She forgot about the tests and about the pain. She forgot the experiments and the exhaustion.

For a second she smiled too.

Later, when the lights went out she shifted in the tiny cage to try and sleep.

But she did not take her fingers back and neither did the boy.

The darkness made the pain and exhaustion more apparent to her.

She remembered the boys fingers touching her own and relaxed.

And that was when she gave in. She gave in to the exhaustion and slept.

She let herself go, she let herself relax.

The one time she let herself relax.

If only she had known.

* * *

That night a man entered the room with the cages.

He was silent.

The children did not stir; they had not learned how to wake at the slightest noise yet.

He walked up to one cage. He looked at the girl, asleep. He noticed her fingers reaching to touch the boys.

He opened her cage.

"Hello, daughter" He whispered and pulled the girl out.

He felt the feathers of her wings against his arms and sighed.

She was so light and thin.

He looked at her and then at the others. The other bird kids in cages.

He thought about their language and how she had reached to just touch the boy.

_She loves them. All of them._

He wondered what to do.

But looking at the sleeping children he knew he could only carry one.

"I'm sorry" He said "I wish I could save you as well. But I must save my daughter."

Jeb looked at the girl once again and knew he was right.

Because his own daughter didn't have a name.

Because he put her here and now he had to take her out.

So he left that night with one bird kid in his arms.

If only.

In another world maybe the girl stayed awake. Maybe she saw when the man entered. Maybe she agreed to go and he did not have to carry her out.

And maybe, in that world, the girl protested. Maybe in that world, the girl demanded that the others come with.

Maybe she would not leave without them

And in that world the girl would have friends, in that world she would not have been alone.

But that is not this world.

_Thanks for reading!_

_-TT_


	2. Learning to Fly

Disclaimer: I don't own anything!

The E House- Present Day

"You'll get it eventually Max."

I glared up at Jeb for a moment before picking myself up.

With as much dignity as possible, I dusted off my clothes and pulled a stick out of my feathers.

And yes, I did say _feathers_.

I am a human-avian hybrid (AKA bird-kid). The Whitecoats (as I called them) had made me from 98% human DNA and 2% bird DNA.

The result? Wings.

Also, a tortuous existence including gruesome and painful tests and other crimes against humanity. Or animals. Whichever I fall under.

Thankfully, Jeb saved me.

Remembering this I turned and sent him a small smile to make up for snapping at him.

Apparently my smile made him feel_ too_ good and he plowed ahead.

"I mean, you're only ten Max. It will probably take some time for you to learn."

Angry Max is back.

"Me sitting on my bum isn't going to make me learn any faster now is it?" I growled.

He shrugged.

I rolled my eyes and walked over to the ladder to climbed back onto the roof.

_Okay Max, you can do it. The wings are there for a reason,_ I told myself.

Deep breath in.

Deep breathe out.

In.

Out.

In.

I snapped out my wings and jumped.

And, like the twenty times I had done this before, I fell like a rock.

I crashed into the ground and got another two bruises to match my others. The dried blood from my cuts snaked around my arm and matched my black tee.

And people say I'm not fashionable.

My mind started to wander and I didn't like it's direction.

I shook off my thoughts and focused on something I could handle. Jeb.

"Do you enjoy watching me fall flat on my face?" I snapped at Jeb.

"Max I just want to help.." Jeb sighed.

"Well a lot of good your doing me! You just stand there! If you want to be useful go make sandwiches or something!" I fumed.

Jeb looked taken aback.

"Okay Max." He said quietly and left.

I watched him go inside then turned and punched the tree beside me.

I muttered a few choice words under my breath.

PS: Don't punch inanimate objects.

I sighed and started inside so I could try and make it up to Jeb.

I entered the E-house and headed towards the kitchen.

Jeb was hard at work, making sandwiches like I had asked. More like ordered.

"Hey Jeb! Can I help?" I asked trying to sound perky; I failed. He looked over and smiled at me.

"Max, I think it's better if you stayed outside the kitchen. Remember last time you came in here?" He chuckled at the memory.

About a week ago I had had a minor incident when I tried to heat up some pizza for a midnight snack.

That incident resulted in the burn on the ceiling that looks like Scooby Doo.

Both of us looked up and smiled at Scooby.

My thoughts continued as I watched Jeb cook.

"Jeb do you think I'll ever learn to fly?" I blurted.

I immediately regreted saying anything and and murmured a quiet, "Forget it" before rushing away.

"Max!" Jeb called before I could get to the safety of my room.

"Yeah?" I asked without turning. I didn't want him to see me worry

"Max, come here."

Snap. He used his nice voice. I walked over and sat down.

"Max." He sighed.

"That's my name." My voice was monotone.

"Yes, I know. I was there when you picked it." His voice was gentle but matter of fact. "Do you remember why you picked Maximum?"

"'Cause I wanted to be the best I could be. The Maximum me. And I chose Ride after Sally Ride." Why was he bringing this up?

"You wanted to be the best you could huh? Well Max, I can tell you now I have no doubt you can fly. Or at least that you will be able to fly. Your will to overcome anything that gets in your way is phenomenal Max. And that can't be programmed. No scientist on the earth can give will power. You have it. I honestly believe that you would find a way to fly even if you didn't have those wings."

He took a big breath and sighed.

"Not to be cheesy or anything but you can do anything, Max. And I know you won't take my word for it, no matter how convincing I may be, so I'd like to show you."

Jeb got off the couch and started outside.

I stayed sitting. Not that I didn't want to see what he was planning but... wow.

No one had ever said such nice things about me.

I had to sit and digest that Jeb had meant everything he said. He thought I had will.

I grinned ridiculously and started outside.

I looked around. The yard was empty. Totally clear.

"Jeb, where are you?" I called.

Nothing. A minute went by.

"Is this you 'proving it to me'! Hide and go seek?!" I was starting to get pissed after a few minutes of silence when I heard someone call my name.

I turned towards the sound only to see Jeb standing on the roof. Holding a basket full of my favorite foods. Including my stash of junk food.

"Jeb?" I called hesitantly, starting to see where this was going. "What are you doing?"

Jeb had a huge grin on his face.

"Max, catch." He said plainly.

"No!" I cried.

And I watched as my delicious food flew up and out of his hands.

It arched through the sky and started to fall, feeling the effects of gravity.

And wound up in my hands.

_Whaaaat?_

I looked around. Jeb was next to me and grinning like the Cheshire cat.

Then I realized. _Jeb was next to me._

I had been down below just three seconds ago. It was too far of a jump so I must have...

"I JUST FLEW!" I screamed, almost dropping the food to hug Jeb. _Almost._

He didn't answer, but kept grinning at me.

I set the food down very carefully and jump into Jeb's arms.

I'm not one for physical contact- something about being experimented on as a kid tends to turn you off to those kind of things- but this was an exception.

After our little moment I stepped back, grinned, then punched Jeb in the arm. Hard.

"Ow! What was that for?" His voice was laced with hurt.

"That was for endangering my food."

And that is how I learned to fly.

Gosh Max is hard.  
Hope you didn't hate this!

Next will be set at the same point the 1st book is.

See ya,

-TT


	3. Strawberries!

**Warning this one is a tad violent.**

**I did rate this Fic T so you should be fine...**

**I also apologize for the wait, but here you go.**

**-TT**

_He stood over me._

_Grinning insanely._

_"I have you pinned Max."_

_I looked up at Jeb's gloating face._

_"Never." I said just as I pushed with my right arm._

_Once he was off balance I rolled out from underneath him and jump onto his back._

_Jeb stood up with me still on his back._

_He carried me around for a while but soon we were laughing too hard._

_"Hey, you want a snack?" He asked._

_"Duh." I shot back._

_Jeb winked and went inside to make us something._

_I stayed outside smiling to myself._

_I heard a bang from inside._

_Ha. Jeb had dropped a pot again._

_"And he thinks I can't cook." I muttered to myself._

_Another bang, louder._

_I turned towards the house, wonder what was going on._

_"Jeb?" I asked, starting to worry. "This better not be a joke."_

_I walked in slowly and I cautiously entered the kitchen._

_And screamed._

_Jeb was standing and fighting off two Erasers._

_He had a kitchen knife in his hand but one of the other knives was sticking out of his arm._

_I tried to move but found I was rooted to my spot._

_Jeb stabbed at Eraser 1 but the Eraser was too fast._

_Eraser 2 swung at Jeb's head and Jeb narrowly dodged._

_I watched, unable to move, as the fight continued._

_Then Jeb fell to the ground._

_The Erasers continued to pummel him._

_I screamed, yelled, kicked, and fought but nothing worked._

_They didn't stop._

_Jeb went silent but the tears in his eyes proved he was still alive._

_One of the Erasers got up and grabbed one of the kitchen knives._

_I started hoping Jeb would die soon._

_Please, please._

_Blood. There was so much blood._

_Sobbing I continued to fight against whatever was holding me back._

_Please, please._

_The Erasers stood up._

_I looked at the body that used to be my father._

_"JEB!" I screamed over and over._

_The Erasers grabbed the body and dragged it away._

_"NO, NO! DON'T TOUCH HIM! NO!" I yelling._

_But after a second they returned and started to clean the kitchen._

_What?_

_The Erasers worked until there was no trace of what had occurred earlier._

_Why are they doing this?_

_The Erasers left again._

_Not a second later a girl walked in._

_She had dirty blonde hair and appeared to be about 12 years old._

_Me._

_Why was I...?_

_Then it hit me._

_This was me the morning I discovered Jeb had disappeared._

_Jeb had been murdered here._

_And I hadn't known._

* * *

I woke up screaming.

My mind was racing nearly as fast as my heart.

Nightmare.

It was just a nightmare.

Jeb wasn't murdered in the kitchen; it was just a nightmare.

I sighed and fell back into bed.

It was always the same.

Every night was just a repeat.

Dinner.

Clean.

TV.

Bed.

Sleep.

The only thing that changed was the nightmare.

Sometimes I would be chased by Erasers.

Sometimes I watched the School explode, my friends still inside.

Sometimes I saw Jeb die in horrible and painful ways.

Like today's example.

After a moment of self pity I hopped out of bed.

"Thinking about your sucky life isn't gonna make it any easier." I said to myself.

Yes, I talk to myself. Try living by yourself for two years, you'll start too.

Yawning I went over to the cabinet. It was empty except for a box of Pop-Tarts.

"Darn. Guess I need to get food." I stated and grabbed the box.

The Pop-Tarts would be enough to tide me over until I got some more food.

Wait!

The strawberries!

"Yippee!" I cried in an un-maxlike way. Thankfully no one was around to notice.

Even the reminder I was on my own couldn't curb my enthusiasm.

Strawberry season was my favorite ever. Mostly because it meant I had an entire field of food that I didn't have to cook or pay for!

What can be better than that?!

I had figured out a while ago that anything that saved me from cooking was my saving grace.

I grabbed the biggest bowl I could find and went outside.

Immediately I was hit with the smell of pines and fresh mountain air.

A slight smile on my face, I started towards the fields.

Soon the forest of trees thinned and then gave way to grasses and flowers.

Without the trees the view from the fields were just as amazing as they were from the E-house. You could see all across the valley which was covered in trees and spring flowers.

The view was great to say the least.

I scanned the area and grinned to myself when I saw a patch of red dots.

"Gotcha." I whispered and stated picking.

I have no clue how long I was out there.

It could have been fie minutes.

It could have been five hours.

I was completely absorbed in my work.

So absorbed in fact, that I didn't notice the Erasers sneaking up to me.


End file.
